3 simple steps to choose the best used MacBook

You want to find out which is the best used MacBook that will work well for you, but not sure which one to buy? I bet you fell in love with the design of the Apple laptops and smoothness of MacOS operating system. Fortunately for you, we put together this 3-step guide on how to choose a perfect second-hand MacBook.

1. Make sure it can run the software you need

1A. Create a list of software that you are going to use

First, make a list of the special software that you are going to use with alternatives. So, you will be creating a table with the list of software and system requirements. For example, on horizontal columns, you can put CPU, RAM, Storage, Graphics, Screen resolution, Operating System, etc., and on vertical columns put name of the software that you need. There are different ways to organize the table, so figure out which works best for you.

1B. Look up minimum and recommended requirements

First, research system requirements from the software manufacturer and put them in one table. To do that, just Google search the software requirements of each program. For example, if you are going to use Adobe Photoshop, search “Adobe Photoshop system requirements Mac”. Then navigate to Adobe’s website and copy the information to your table. Make sure you are copying Mac requirements and not Windows.

1C. Find out the most of each specification you need

On your table, highlight the most of each specification you need, and write it on a separate page or table. You might have to answer the following questions: What software requires the fastest CPU? How much software do I need? What software requires the most RAM? Do the alternatives need less resources to run? What software requires powerful graphics card? This will be the minimum specifications that your laptop has to have.

2. Gather additional experiences on the internet

2A. Search on Google

Search on Google using different search queries. You will find a lot of information from different forums like Quora, Apple discussions, or even manufacturer forums like Adobe discussions. Make sure those threads are current: MacBook model and software version should match. Don’t let the outdated information mislead you into buying a laptop that is incompatible with current software.

2B. Watch YouTube videos

Since video is getting more and more popular and easy-to-post, a lot of people are making their own channels where they talk about different topics. Find and watch several different videos about your MacBook and software version (year and model). Don’t forget to read the comments!

3. Think ahead and consider your budget

You will gather so much information, and it is time to make the final decision. Based on specifications and your budged, you will be able to choose which MacBook version you can buy. Don’t forget to search Facebook Market and OfferUp for used MacBooks and always take someone techy with you.